Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with proteins having molluscicidal. The ability of the mussels to quickly colonize new areas, rapidly achieve high densities and attach to any hard substratum (e.g., rocks, logs, aquatic plants, shells of native mussels, exoskeletons of crayfish, plastic, concrete, wood, fiberglass, pipes made of iron and polyvinyl chloride and surfaces covered with conventional paints) make it possible for them to cause serious adverse consequences. These consequences include damages of water-dependent infrastructure, millions of dollars increase in the operating expense and significant damage to the ecological systems.
Management of mussels is very important for protecting water-dependent infrastructure and aquatic ecological systems. There are many proactive and reactive methods to control and reduce the populations of mussels. Reactive removal includes the mechanical removal, predator removal, and chemical and biochemical removal of adult mussels. For example, fish, birds, crayfish, crabs, leeches and mammals have shown to predate mussels. However, it is unlikely that invasive mussel populations will be controlled by natural predation, especially in man-made structures such as pipes or pumping plants. Proactive measures to control mussels includes any mechanical, physical or chemical means in which the planktonic (veliger) mussel life stage is prevented from settling and growing into the adult life stage or colonizing on hard substrates. Preventing mussels from colonizing and growing into adult life stages is also referred to as settlement prevention.